Properties of a Well-written Text

A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized, coherent, and are all related to a
single topic.
For a paragraph or any composition, to be effective, it must always consider the Properties
of a Well-Written Text. These properties are Organization, Coherence and Cohesion,
Language Use, and Mechanics.
I. ORGANIZATION
Clear organization makes it easy for the reader to remember the information presented.
The use of an organization pattern in writing, therefore, is important if the purpose of the writer is
to be able to present his ideas in an organized way. (Antonino, 2013)
There are three prevailing paragraph patterns in writing:
a. Chronological Pattern arranges ideas according to time, either backward or forward.
Works well in Narration, Analysis, Cause and Effect. Transitional Words like first, second,
third, finally are used.
b. Spatial or Geographical Pattern arranges information according to how things fit in a
physical space. This could be any space like in a room, or building in a university, etc.
Effective in description paragraph. Transition words like above, beneath, in front, nearby,
to the right, underneath, etc.
c. Topical or Logical Order present several ideas that are interrelated. Good to use in
Classification, Definition, Comparison and Contrast compositions. Transitional words like:
first, second, also and, another are used.
II.COHERENCE AND COHESION
Coherence refers to the overall sense of unity in a passage, including both the main point of
sentences and the main point of each paragraph.
✓ Writing is coherent when all the sentences in the paragraph are focused on the central
thought, which is the topic sentence of the paragraph.

Cohesion refers to the use of linguistic devices to join sentences together.

✓ Writing is cohesive when one idea sticks to another idea, a sentence sticks to another
sentence, and a paragraph sticks to the next.
Coherence and Cohesion mean that all the parts are connected logically and linguistically to
form a whole.
Check these examples:
Coherent but not “My favorite color is blue. I’m calm and relaxed. In the summer I lie on the grass
cohesive and look up.”
Cohesive but not “My favorite color is blue. Blue sports cars go very fast. Driving in this way is
coherent dangerous and can cause many car crashes. I had a car accident once and broke
my leg. I was very sad because I had to miss a holiday in Europe because of the
injury.”
Coherent and “My favorite color is blue. I like it because it is a calming, and it relaxes me. I often
cohesive go outside in the summer and lie on the grass and look into the clear sky when
I’m stressed. For this reason, I’d have to say my favorite color is blue.”

E. Discussing New Concepts and Practicing New Skills #2

Properties of a Well-written Text
III.LANGUAGE USE
It is one of the clearest indicators of a well-written text. It enables writers to effectively
communicate ideas without confusing the reader.
An effective language is: Specific, Concise, Familiar, Correct, and Appropriate
Levels of in Language Use.
 1. Informal/Personal – slang, local expressions, text messaging
Hey Bes Yow
Sup Nigga GNyt
BTW Dude SML

2. Standard/Academic – widely accepted words and phrases found in books, magazines,

and newspapers.
Note to a professor:
I missed last night’s class and will e-mail my paper later.

3. Business/Technical – scientific terms, jargons, and special expressions

Psychiatrist’s report:
“Dissociative rage order is not indicated by the ER assessment.

Remember…
✓ Good writing includes a good choice of diction.
✓ Diction is defined as how words are used in speech or writing.
✓ If one’s writing is good, that means that the writer used words that are accurate- meaning
it is the use of right or appropriate words based on his or her intention.
IV.MECHANICS
It focuses on the technicalities of the structure.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement
A. Verb agrees with its subject in person and in number. A singular subject requires a
singular verb; a plural subject requires a plural verb.
Examples: My friend submits his term paper on time.
The spectators are noisy.
Note: Pronouns ‘you’ and ‘I’ are taken as plural subjects; therefore, should take plural verbs.
✓ Expressions like many a, more than one, the number call for –s form verbs.
Examples: The number of children in need of counselling increases every year.
Many a person gets a feeling of well-being for criticizing his friend.

B. Collective nouns are either singular or plural, depending on the context in which they
appear.
✓ When a group is considered as a unit, the –s form of the verb is used.
Examples: The first-year section B accountancy students submit the report tomorrow.
C. When the members of the group are considered as individuals who act separately, the
simple form of the verb is used.
Example: The crowd leave one by one.
D. The verb agrees with the subject, not with the predicate noun.
Example: The objection to the place is the many rebels.
E. Make the verb agree with the subject, not with the complement.
Example: Often, the result of the conflicts is failing relationships.
F. Make the verb agree with what is referred by the relative pronouns. (who, which, and
that)
Examples: His father is a doctor who treats my friend.
The mistakes which remain unforgiven continue to hurt us.
G. Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning.
Example: The news is alarming.

H. Some nouns are plural in form and in meaning.

Example: The scissors are sharp enough to cut the bark of the tree.
I. Some nouns ending in s may take either an –s form or a simple form. Examples of these
are statistics and acoustics.
Example: Statistics is a required college subject for mathematics.
J. For compound subjects joined by or, either…or, neither…nor, the verb agrees with the
subject nearer it.
Example: Either the employees or the manager opens the store everyday.
K. Treat most indefinite pronouns as SINGULAR
Anybody, Each, Everyone, Nobody, Somebody, Anyone, Either, Everything, No one,
Someone, Anything, Everybody, Neither, Nothing, Something
Example: Everybody who signed up for the snowboarding trip was taking lessons.
Everyone on the team supports the coach.
L. However, a few indefinite nouns such as All, Any, None and Some may be singular or
plural depending on the noun or pronoun they refer to.
Examples: Some of our luggage was lost.
None of his advice makes sense.
M. Both, Few, Many, Others, Several are PLURAL.
Examples: Others do not like tuna pie.
Several of the guests are bored.
2. Tense
It is the attribute of a verb that shows the time of the action, condition or state of being in
relation to the time of speaking or writing.
✓ The tense of the verb in a subordinate clause should conform logically with the tense of
the verb in the principal clause.
✓ When a sentence expresses two past actions, which action prior to the other, that priority
is expressed through the past perfect tense.
Example: My friend told me that he had signed the contract.
Statements that are permanently true should be expressed in the present tense, even
in the reported speech.
Example: He said that Laguna is 75 kilometers from Manila.
3. Voice of the verb
The voice indicates whether the subject is the doer or the receiver of the action in the
sentence.
✓ The two types of voice are active and passive. The verb is said to be in the active voice if
the subject is the doer of the action; passive, if the subject receives the action.
Examples:
a) ACTIVE: The carpenter built the house.
(The subject “carpenter” is the doer of the action.)
b.) PASSIVE: The house was built by the carpenter.
(The subject house is the receiver of the action)
Note: There should only be one voice of the verb in one sentence. Remember that the active
voice is preferred than the passive.
Example:
Incorrect: Maria sang a song while the boogie was danced by Jessie.
Correct: Maria sang a song while Jessie danced the boogie.

4. Capitalization
A. Capitalize the first word in a sentence.
B. Capitalize the pronoun “I”.
C. Capitalize proper nouns or the specific names of persons, places, events, things,
organizations.
D. Capitalize the names of God, deities, religious figures, and holy books.
E. Capitalize titles preceding names, but not titles that follow names.
F. Capitalize directions that are names, like North, South, East, West, when used as sections
of the country, but no as compass directions.
 G. Capitalize the days of the week, months of the year, and holidays but not the seasons like
spring, winter, autumn, fall.
H. Capitalize the first word in the sentence that is a direct quote.
I. Capitalize acronyms and initialisms.
J. Capitalize trademarks.
K. Capitalize the first word of the greeting or closing of the letter.
5. Punctuations
The following punctuations are the most used punctuations in academic writing and
professional writing.
a. Comma ( , ) A comma indicates a smaller break. Some writers think of a comma as a soft
pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.
b. Period ( . ) A period is used at the end of a declarative and an imperative sentence that
do not require an exclamation point. It is also used after most initials and abbreviations
and as a decimal point.
c. Dash (—) The dash (—) is a mark of punctuation used to set off a word or phrase after an
independent clause or a parenthetical remark (words, phrases, or clauses that interrupt a
sentence). Don't confuse the dash (—) with the hyphen (-): the dash is longer. Dashes are
used to separate groups of words, not to separate parts of words like a hyphen does.
d. Ellipsis (. . .) The ellipsis is a punctuation represented by three dots in a row. It is used to
replace words that have been left out. If the words left out are in the middle of the sentence,
use three dots. If the words left out are at the end of the sentence, use a period then an
ellipsis.
e. Apostrophe ( ‘ ) The apostrophe is used to: To show ownership or possession. To take
the place of missing letters in contractions. To form the plural of letters and numerals.
f. Colon ( : ) Use it after a greeting in a business letter. Use it to introduce a list. Use it
between numbers in time. To introduce an important quotation in a report, essay or news
story.
g. Hyphen ( - ) Hyphens are used in two-part numbers between twenty-one to ninety-nine.
It is used in spelled out fractions.
h. Semi-colon ( ; ) Semi-colons are used to join two independent clauses without using a
conjunction like and.
i. Quotation Marks ( “ ) Quotation marks are used to set off a direct quotation.

6. Writing numbers
Have you been confused about whether to write a number or spell it out? When are you supposed
to spell it out or write it in figure? The following are the most used and observed rules in writing
numbers.
a. When a number begins a sentence, spell it out.
b. Spell out numbers less than 10.
c. Use figures for 10 and above.
d. Use figures and cardinal for dates
e. When numbers apply to the same thing, render them the same way.
f. Use figures when numbers need to stand out, even if less than 10.
g. Spell fractions when used to begin a sentence.
h. Centuries and decades should be spelled out.
i. Use the percentage symbol (%) for discounts and interests.